Travelin' Soldier
by Scath Rocco Meoi
Summary: A soldier about to go to war and a blonde waiter, both missing something within themselves. A meeting that will change their lives forever. Songfic to Travelin' Soldier by the Dixie Chicks. HeeroXQuatre Yaoi Oneshot


**AUTHOR'S NOTES: **This fic started with a request made by my best friend, the problem being that he wanted a Heero/Link (_The Legend of Zelda_) fanfic. I really think it's not that strange a couple but it needs a lot of time to make a descent crossover and the fic was supposed to be ready by the beginning of August for his birthday so I changed it to a Heero/Quatre, picked a song I had been wanting to work with: _Travelin' Soldier _by the _Dixie Chicks, _and... Here's the result! One month late but still... I hope you'll like it and let me know it. XD Happy birthday, L.!

**_Travelin' Soldier_**

He was a soldier. He didn't mind being a soldier, after all, he had nothing, he had no one. Raised in an orphanage, he had been thrown out when he turned eighteen and then into the army, now he was one of their best, he was still a soldier but it was said that he'd soon be promoted.

The clock in the main square chimed five in the afternoon, the bus wasn't coming anymore, he knew it, so, with a sigh, he entered the closest café, a small and cozy one right across the street. He looked around for a second, wondering where he should sit, he picked a random booth and waited, watching the many people that came and went. In times of war a soldier was a common thing to see.

A blonde, frail looking boy approached with a notepad and smiled at him, blue-green eyes full of a gentleness the soldier had never known until that moment.

"May I take your order?" the blonde asked, the smile never leaving his face.

"Would you mind sitting down for a while and talking to me?" he said, a sudden courage invading him, a sudden need to share all that was bottled up inside and only that unknown waiter from an unknown café would understand. "I'm feeling a little low." It was the only explanation he could offer when the smile was replaced by a surprised expression.

"I'm off in an hour and I know where we can go." The soldier could only watch in awe as those beautiful lips turned upwards once again, he asked for some coffee and the boy left him.

What was an hour for a soldier who may never come back? It was the slowest hour of his life, his dark blue eyes found light blue-green ones all the time, for factions of second that spoke for more than millions of years. The silent conversation between them continued when the blonde grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the café and down the street towards the pier where they sat still voiceless for another couple of minutes.

"You're not going to war." It wasn't a question, it was a statement and the blonde smiled shocking his head.

"I have a weak health, but it's only thanks to it that I can stay here with my loved ones." He watched the soldier beside him, his dark brown hair moving in time with the breeze. "Aren't you afraid?"

"Afraid?"

"You're my age, right? Our lives have just started… Don't you feel sad for your loved ones as well?"

"No, I'm not afraid. I've been trained not to be." He ignored the second question on purpose, he had his own questions for that blonde angel, as soon as he had finish fighting with himself whether he should ask them or not.

"I am afraid." The boy felt dark blue inquiring eyes on him. "I'm afraid for you."

The sound of the waves was all that could be heard for sometime, none of them realizing they hadn't let go of the other's hand since they had left the café, they had even gotten closer as the cold breeze started to blow with more insistence and chill them. The soldier took a deep breath, a new determination coursing through him as he turned a little to face the other boy.

"I bet you've got a boyfriend but I don't care." Light blue-green eyes found his, a question behind them but also a hope. "I've got no one to send a letter to… Would you mind if I sent one back here to you?"

Tears filled the blonde's eyes and he tried in vain to contain them, they cursed down his cheeks, tracing shiny lines. A strong fear possessed the young soldier, he had never intended for that to happen, he was completely at loss of what to do in a situation like that. He lifted and unsure hand and brushed away the other's tears with a gentleness he didn't know he owned.

"I'm sorry." The blonde whispered letting the smile return to his lips slowly. "Of course you can send me a letter! I'd be very glad if you did so."

"Then I will."

Silence again and the warmth of each other's hands, the boy's head found its way to the soldier's shoulder, time didn't exist anymore, they would treasure that moment forever.

"When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning."

"What time?"

"Early, very early." He didn't want to think about the war anymore, he wanted to forget he had to leave, forget he was a soldier, but that would mean forgetting who he was.

"I live near the barracks." The blonde said, an unvoiced question in his eyes.

"I'd be glad to spend the night at your place."

"We should get going then. Or we'll lose the next bus." He was about to stand up, excitement racing through his veins but the soldier's hand, still clutched by his, pulled his back as soft yet strong lips met his.

The waves and the wind resumed their symphony, they were the only witnesses of that bond which had formed so quickly and yet which could be so deep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_Dear Quatre,_

_the days are very long here at the camp but California's beautiful and the weather's been good._

_Preparations are almost over for us to leave the country and I see soldiers already crying and caressing pictures. You were right, we are too young for this._

_I think a lot about you, specially while I wait for sleep to come. The cries and sorrow of the others seem to chase it away. Many things remind me of you too… Sometimes I sure I can smell you in the wind or hear your voice in the silence of the night._

_My heart insists that I love you and I know I shouldn't tell you that because I may never come back to you. Still I needed to write it down, to take it out of me, just, please, ignore it._

_Sincerely,_

_Heero._

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He read the letter and pressed it against his heart, he knew he loved that soldier and he wanted him to come back safe to his arms. The pen and notebook on his desk seemed to be begging for him to write a reply but he had no words of comfort, for, like the other soldiers, his sorrow was too great and he had been crying. It was impressive like, in extreme situations such as war, people started to notice the small things, like the wind and the silence of the night or maybe that was just Heero who had learned, through the simple life of an orphan, to appreciate those small things.

"Quatre," his mother's kind face appeared through the door. "you are too young to be suffering so much…"

"But, mom, what if…"

"Don't worry, son, your friend will come back." She approached sitting on the bed and hugging him tightly. "You don't wanna end up like your sister… Waiting for the love of a traveling soldier."

"She really loves him, mom." The boy pulled back wiping away the tears.

"I know, darling."

"You could have allowed them to get married before he left…"

"And have my daughter a twenty year old widow?" the woman shook her head. "I know how horrible it is to be a widow and I don't want that for anyone, specially not my children!"

Watching as the door closed behind his mother the boy wondered if she didn't want her daughter to suffer or to bear the title of widow, it confused him like nothing ever had, his attention finally leaving his own traveling soldier, at least for a while.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

_Dear Quatre,_

_it's been getting worse over here. The Lieutenant believes we'll have to retreat and wait for more ammunition, which should arrive in the next few days._

_I know I'm not supposed to show emotions, I'm supposed to be the pillar that holds everybody up but I feel scared, not of dying but of never seeing you again, of never seeing my homeland again, of never achieving the old dreams I have since I was a child and I'm scared because if I'm gone I know you'll suffer, I can feel it._

_I always think about that day, sitting down at the pier, I close my eyes and see your pretty smile. I'll keep that image with me forever, I hope you'll do the same with that smile, help other people with it like you helped me._

_Don't worry but I won't be able to write for a while._

_Yours,_

_Heero._

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Friday night, his sister convinced him to accompany her to the football game, he wasn't in the mood at all though and his thoughts kept wandering to the last letter he'd received from his traveling soldier, it had arrived two weeks before. His words, he had sounded like he was sure he would die, the blonde assumed the situation there was worse than he had tried to make it seem.

A pause at the game, the Lord's prayer said a few things, the anthem was sung and a man stepped forward, his voice too loud and clear for Quatre's ears.

"Folks, would you bow your head for the list of local Vietnam dead."

He wouldn't bow his head, his body seemed to have frozen, his heart thundered in expectation as he prayed deep within his mind not to hear the name of the one he was thinking of. He could hear someone crying, one look and he spotted the piccolo player in the marching band that had hidden under the stands, obviously for privacy. Blue-green eyes closed tightly, he felt like he was invading the man's space.

And then he heard it, the name echoed inside his head, but it wasn't his voice saying it, it was the voice of the man who was reading the list, the list of dead. Dead. He was dead. Heero was dead… He would never see him again.

Memories came running back to him, memories of one day sitting down at the pier, memories of one night of whispered words and moonlight. He would never have that again, he would never even be able to tell him of his love. It could never be, not anymore and it hurt. It hurt like he would've never thought possible.

His sister asked him what was wrong but he couldn't answer, all he managed were sobs and it felt like he was being ripped apart. His hopes had left him and he slowly allowed darkness to claim him, maybe when he woke up he'd discover it had all been a dream and continue waiting. He'd never hold the hand of another guy. Ever.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The soldier walked out of the bus, his right arm in a sling, it would stay that way until it healed and he may limp forever but he was alive and not only that but two bright blue-green eyes were fixed on his. He had had his doubts if the blonde had received the last letter, he had been in a hurry and had only been able to write a single phrase:

'_A soldier's coming home.'_

Careful arms enveloped him and the soft cry was muffled against his neck, he could feel his own tears gathering in his eyes, it had been years since he had last cried and it felt weird yet familiar and comfortable. His own free arm encircled the other's waist and pulled their bodies flush together.

"Your name was in the list of local dead… I thought…" the blonde couldn't finish, sobs rocking his body.

"I'm here now." The soldier breathed, no longer able to keep his tears at bay. "Never more to be alone."

"I love you."

They pulled away, many emotions crossing their eyes, understanding, relief, longing, love. It didn't matter that they were in a public place, it didn't matter that they were both men, for that single moment they were lost in each other's lips and until the army claimed back its soldier they would be together, as lost as they could be.

**FINAL NOTES: **_I know the lyrics make it seem as if the soldier had died but the song ends with the chorus which says 'a soldier's coming home' so I thought I could give them the happy ending they deserved. _


End file.
